Carton



Get. 22, 1940.

C. H. GOODYEAR CARTON- Fi led March 4, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR CHHPLES HGOODY E H 5 ATTORN EY Oct. 22, 1940. v GOODYEAR. 2,218,509 I CARTON Filed Mafch 4, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR H (HAP/.55 -.H- 600DYHE H Wan/5444 HA5 ATTORNEY Oct. 22, 1940. c GQQDYEAR 2,218,509

Y CARTON I Filed March 4, 1938 3 Sheets-sheaf. 3

INVENTOR CHHPLES h- GOODYE'HE A05 ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 22, 1940- UNITED STATES PATE -i -or w 1 Claim. (craze-51) My invention relates to fibreboard cartons of the type which are scored and folded from blanks of fibrous sheet material; and the broad object of the invention is to provide an improved carton embodying a tear strip by which the carton may be opened.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carton adapted for packing such products as ice cream, and having a tear strip by which the carton may be opened out flat to free the contents.

A further object of the invention is to provide a carton having a tear strip encircling the body thereof, whereby removal of the tear strip separates the carton into two parts.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the fore-. going, will be set forth in the following description of my invention. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to this disclosure of species of my invention as I may adopt var-iant embodi- A Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same show ing the completed carton.

Figure 3 .is a plan view of another blank from whicha pail is folded; and

Figure 4 is a perspective View of, the same show-' ing the completed pail. I

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another type of carton embodying the improvements of my invention; and

Figure 6 is a similar view with wall portions broken away to show the liner.

In terms of broad inclusion, the carton of my invention comprises a fibreboard panel having its fibres weakened along spaced lines to provide a tear strip. In one of my cartons the tear strip is arranged in a sealing flap so that when the tear strip is removed the carton may be opened out flat. Such cartons are desirable for packaging such products as ice cream. In another of my cartons the tear strip encircles the body of the carton, whereby removal of the strip separates the carton into two parts one of which forms a replaceable cover. Such a carton is useful for packaging bulk products such as cereals.

In greater detail, Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings show a rectangular ice cream carton capable of being opened out flat to completely expose the contents for slicing. The blank of Figure 1 is cut from a parent sheet of suitable material, such as flbreboard- Since the'carton is preferably used without a liner, the sheet material is treated, as by impregnating with parafilne, to fill the pores; the current practice being to freeze the ice cream solid directly in the carton. The blank is divided by score lines 2 into top and bottom wall sections 3 and and narrower front and back wall'sections 6 and 1. These four side walls fold on the crease lines when the box is set up, and in the closed position the forward free edge of the top wall-lies adjacent the upper free edge of the front wall.

End closure flaps 8 are foldably connected to the-edges of bottom wall 4 by crease lines 9, and

, these flaps are shaped so that when folded up v edges Hi to allow them to rotate out of position when the side walls are opened out fiat. These flaps lie outside the upturned flaps 8 when the carton is set up.

Closure flaps M are also foldably connected to the front Wall by crease lines I6, and another pair of flaps I! are foldably connected to the back wall by crease lines l8. These outer flaps are provided with suitable interlocking means to hold the flaps closed when the carton is set up. For this purpose locking tabs I9 are preferably formed on flaps H to engage slits 2-! in flaps l4. Cuts 22 above the slits serve to facilitate engagement of the tabs. Tabs I9 cannot readily be disengaged when the side walls are closed, but when the side walls are opened out, flat the rounded ends 23 of the tabs permit the latter to readily rotate out of engagement.

A sealing flap 24 is foldably connected to the forward free edge of top wall 3 by a crease line 26, and when the carton is set up this flap extends down to overlap the 'front side wall 6. This flap or fastening panel has a pair of spaced, parallel lines of weakness 21 forming a tear strip 28 there between and extending across the width of the 'flap. The margin below the tear strip forms a sealing strip 29 which is glued by a suitable adhesive 3| to the front wall when the carton is set up. This gluing of the lower strip only leaves the intermediate tear strip 28 free of adhesive so that it may readily be torn out.

Lines of weakness 21 bordering thetear strip are preferably formed by partially disrupting the fibres, as by perforating the sheet. Theserows of perforations preferably extend all the way across the flap, and the perforations preferably extend completely through the flap thickness to insure ready removal of this tear strip. Finger tabs 32 are provided at each end of the tear strip and project beyond the edges of the flap to facilitate grasping between thumb-and finger. If desired fold line 26 may also be a perforated line to form two tear strips, so that either one or both may be removed.

After the tear strip is removed the top wall is folded up and back causing locking tabs I8 to rotate out of engagement and allowing the rear wall to also fold back. Front wall 6 folds down and end flaps 8 likewise fold down. In other words, the entire carton folds out fiat to expose the block of ice cream for slicing. As a guide for cutting, a series of scores 33 are preferably formed across the top wall 3 to-leave slice markings on the top of the ice cream. Such marking creases may also be provided in the other walls. 7

I realize that cartons of this general type have been made with a single row of perforations across the sealing flap for opening the carton, but such a structure has proved unsuccessful in practice because of the difliculty in separatin the glued flap along a single line of perforations. The contents are frozen solid allowing no give to the side walls, and this together with the fact that the flap is cemented to the wall makes it diflicult if not impossible to effect separation along a single perforated line. On the other hand my tear strip in the sealing flap is readily grasped and removed. I am likewise aware that ice cream cartons have been made with sealing flaps designed to be pulled away from a wall by tearing the fibres away from the adhesive. Such a flap does not always tear off easily however, and there always is left unsightly surfaces of torn fibres and glue deposits. In my carton on the other hand the tear strip comes out neatly and leaves clean edges without the disagreeable efiect presented by glued surfaces that have been pulled a art.

Figures 3 and 4 show the improvements of my invention embodied in a pail, also adapted for packaging ice cream. The blank comprises side wall sections 36 and 31 foldably connected to opposite edges of a bottom wall 38 by crease lines 4!. A second pair of side walls 42 are foldably connected along the side edges of wall 31 by crease lines 43. By this arrangement walls 36 and 3! may be folded up and walls 42 folded in to form the four sides of the pail; wall 36 of course'being freely disposed relative to the adjaoent edges of walls 42..

Sealing flaps 44 are foldably connected along the side edges of wall 36 by crease lines 46 and these flaps are provided with spaced rows of perforations 41 to form intermediate tear strips 48 and outer sealing strips 49 carrying glue 5|. When the carton is set up flaps 44 overlap the side walls 42 and are cemented thereto by the adhesive 5|. Suitable finger tabs 52 are also provided at the upper ends of the tear strips.

Tabs 53 are foldably connected to side edges of the bottom wall by crease lines 54, and when the carton is set up these tabs are tucked between the sealing flaps and side walls. For this reason glue 5| extends only over the upper portions of sealing strips 49, leaving the lower ends unglued to receive tuck tabs 53.

Suitable closure flaps 56 are also foldably connected to the upper edges of the side walls by crease lines 51, and suitable locking means 58 is provided on the outer flaps. When the pail is to be spread out the tear strips 48 are removed and closure flaps 56 opened. The walls are then free to be peeled off the frozen contents. One or more of the side walls is preferably scored as at 59 to provide slicing marks. I

Another modification of the invention is shown in Figures 5 and 6, comprising side walls BI and end closure flaps 62 formed from a single blank of material. The side walls are closed by a gluing strip 63, and in the finally closed position the flaps 62 are glue together to completely seal the carton. A tubular liner 34, also of relatively stiff fibreboard, is arranged in the carton coextensive with the side walls. This liner is preferably snugly fitted so it is held by frictional engagement with the walls.

Around the body of the carton, preferably in the upper part, I provide spaced rows of perforations 66 defining parallel lines of weakness running completely around the box, thus forming a tear strip 61 encircling the body of the carton. In order to give a finger hold, three cuts are made in a wall in the form of an H, lying in the tear strip. These cuts define the ends of the tear strip and form finger tabs 68 at the ends thereof. One tab bends back as the other is lifted out to permit ready grasping of either tab. Removal of the tear strip separates the carton body into two parts, namely, a main section embracing the lower end of the liner and a cover section embracing the upper end of the liner. The cover may then be slipped ofi and replaced at will, providing a reclosable carton of neat appearance and good structural design. Such a carton is splendidly adapted for such bulk products as breakfast cereals.

I claim:

A carton comprising foldably, integrally connected bottom, side and top walls, end flaps foldably connected to each end of the side walls along a fold line forming two pairs of cooperating flaps, a locking tab on one flap of each pair and a cooperating tab-receiving slit in the other flap of each pair, each slit so arranged with reference to the fold line as to permit disengagement when the sidewalls are unfolded said locking tabs being disengageable from the slits upon outward folding of one of said side walls, a sealing flap foldably. connected to the top wall and glued to a side wall to hold the locking tabs engaged, a pair of spaced lines of weakness extending longitudinally of the sealing flap to divide it into an upper tuck strip foldably connected with the top wall, an intermediate tear strip and a lower gluing strip, whereby removal of the tear strip leaves the tuck strip attached to the top wall for reclosing the carton, and whereby said removal of the tear strip frees the walls to allow the carton to be spread out flat after a side wall has been folded out to disengage the locking tab.

CHARLES H. GOODYEAR. 

